Young Yellow Mallard duck

[vehelpfulguy]

Went out for a walk along my local canal today. Saw a Mallard with 9 young.

8 of them were the normal colour for Mallard young, but one was totally yellow with an orange beak.

Do Mallard young start this colour, or was he a rogue chick from another type of duck.

[wildwood]

Most probably it was an albino mutation. They pop up in every species from time to time. Later it will get white feathers and stand out like a sore thumb, attracting attention to itself so it will be the first to be eaten by a predator

Albinism is not an evolutionary mutation to modify the species to its environment, merely a genetic mistake where dark colours in the makeup are suppressed.

[burnhal]

What is more likely is that it is not pure mallard. Mallards interbreed quite happily with 'farmyard' ducks. Most commercially bred ducks are derived from the mallard anyway. Take a look at the mallards next time you go to a park for instance- they are likely to range from pure mallard through various states of almost mallard to nearly white farmyard type ducks. A pure albino mallard is pretty rare- though not unheard of.

[Cetti]

A 'rogue' is the operative word here vehelpfulguy, as Mallards and cousins are notoriously promiscuous and will mate with almost anything that takes their fancy!

The yellow baby will probably be following dad's colouring and the rest of the brood will be mum's.